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Karnataka Considers Altruistic Organ Donation Policy
31 Aug
Summary
- Karnataka government is considering a policy for altruistic organ donation.
- Donors could give organs to anonymous recipients.
- The high court urged the government to establish clear guidelines.
The Karnataka government is exploring the possibility of establishing a formal policy or issuing guidelines to facilitate altruistic organ donations from living individuals to anonymous recipients. This move was prompted by the high court's directive for the government to place its stance on altruistic organ donation on record.
The court is currently hearing a petition from a businessman who wishes to donate a kidney anonymously. The judiciary has indicated that the state government, not private hospitals, should be the appropriate authority to authorize such donations, emphasizing the need for a clear policy to streamline the process.
To advance this initiative, the high court has directed the petitioner to undergo a health examination on September 8 at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, with the institute expected to submit a report. This follows a precedent set in November 2025, when the high court permitted a doctor to donate a kidney altruistically without compensation, after her initial request was denied by her hospital's authorization committee.
